The other day, I was looking through old photos of myself before my diagnosis. I thought to myself "Wow, look how far I've come!" Last week, I wrote a paper for one of my classes on integrity. Part of garnering integrity is determining our core values. I mentioned in my paper that the things I… Continue reading Advice for My Younger Self
Tag: ulcerative colitis
The Power of Resilience
As some of you may know, I have a busy schedule these days. I work a full-time job, I take night classes in the MBA program, I run an IBD support group, I am a blogger - all while fighting a chronic illness. When I was diagnosed with IBD in 2019 at the age of… Continue reading The Power of Resilience
Tips for Managing a Flare
Many IBD patients have found themselves in a flare over the past year due to the stress and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, I have been able to maintain my symptomatic remission during this time, but that does not remove the constant fear I have of possibly developing a flare. Let's be honest,… Continue reading Tips for Managing a Flare
How Can I Support Someone with IBD?
I get this question often from both friends and family, which is a good thing! It is nice to know that they, who maybe do not quite understand the entirety of my disease, want to contribute in any way they can to make me feel better. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation posed this question last… Continue reading How Can I Support Someone with IBD?
Turning Struggles into Purpose
The biggest lesson that I have learned from being diagnosed with a chronic illness is turning my struggle into purpose. In my eyes, I had two options - one where I could be sad and let my disease affect my life, and another where I could use it to my advantage and lead my life… Continue reading Turning Struggles into Purpose
My IBD Journey: From the Beginning to Now
For those of you new to my site or just wanting to learn more about my story, I figured I would do a blog post talking about my where my IBD journey started to where I am now. I want to emphasize that my experience with IBD has never been linear. It has required a… Continue reading My IBD Journey: From the Beginning to Now
Creating Your Community
When I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I had no idea how important my community was going to be for me. Hearing the words - "you have a chronic illness" - is NOT easy to comprehend or incorporate into your daily life. I struggled for a few months and decided to only lean on… Continue reading Creating Your Community
The Difference Between IBS and IBD
Many people often confuse Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) because they both have to do with the digestive system, but they are in fact both very different diseases. In this blog post, I want to separate the two and explain the main differences. Keep in mind there is no cure for… Continue reading The Difference Between IBS and IBD
Chronic Illness and Invisibility
Having a chronic illness or a disability does not always mean your symptoms are visible to others. People are quick to discount you if your symptoms are not physically seen. When I go about my normal daily life, people around me probably assume I am a healthy young woman. Little do they know, I have… Continue reading Chronic Illness and Invisibility
A Book Review: The Mind-Gut Connection
I stumbled upon a book titled The Mind-Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer, MD at Sundance bookstore here in Reno recently. It was not a book I was really looking for, but was misplaced on the shelf and the cover caught my eye. I have written a previous blog post about the brain-gut connection and how… Continue reading A Book Review: The Mind-Gut Connection
Turning Wellness into a Lifestyle 